Gamble

2. 3 a.m

A shrill tune roused me from a deep slumber. My uncoordinated fingers scrambled to find the source and came up with my phone. The sudden burst of light momentarily blinded me, but I overcame it quickly. As my mind slowly processed things, I found out that the tune was actually my ringtone.

Call from an unknown number.

My first instinct was to silence it and go back to sleep. But something deep inside said otherwise. I decided against the regular practice and picked up the call.

"Hello," I said, my voice raspy from sleeping.

" Is this Yusur Zaid Khan speaking?" said a well-mannered and professional voice, unusual for 3am in the morning.

She continued without waiting for an answer "I am Sarah Hickens from Maryland hospital, Vancouver"she paused for a second, but to me it felt like a dreadful eternity.

Vancouver? Hospital? My heart was feeling heavier with every passing second. An eerie silence spread across the room. The ticking of the clock abnormally loud. "Mr. and Mrs. Zaid were involved in a car crash"

I felt as if a heavy burden had befell upon me. The woman was saying something else but I blocked everything out. I cut the call midway and dialed Uncle Amir's number, repeating to him what the lady told me. He had connections in Vancouver so he would know what happened.

I was 4 hours later that they told me the crash was fatal and that my parents had died at the spot.

Something deep inside me shattered. I could feel a stabbing pain in my heart. My knees couldn't keep me up and I brusquely sat down.

The only thing I heard was my own ragged breathing and uncontrollable sobs as the words sinked in slowly.

I wrapped my arms around my knees and cried my heart out.